10 replies to this topic

[Chickalo]

i don't think i need to explain much more

[Scherme]

which angle? light level? filter? time of day? big or small nests? what exposure? geographic location?

please explain more 

 

edit: no i don't have any pictures of monomorium/molesta

Edited by Scherme, January 15 2021 - 10:50 AM.

[Chickalo]

which angle? light level? filter? time of day? big or small nests? what exposure? geographic location?

please explain more 

 

edit: no i don't have any pictures of monomorium/molesta

from above, the other don't matter too much, i just need a general idea of the "pattern"/look they tend to make their nests

[TennesseeAnts]

Monomorium have pretty conspicuous nests, but S. molesta tend to be primarily subterranean.

[NickAnter]

I have seen thief ants make small mounds. They actually look quite similar to founding chambers. If it is not especially warm, I have even seen workers foraging above-ground. I am not sure this applies to Eastern species, as the common species in SoCal is not really identified properly.

Edited by NickAnter, January 15 2021 - 11:31 AM.

[Ferox_Formicae]

Any particular species of Monomorium? I don't have any images of Monomorium nests that I know of, but I do know that anytime I've ever found M. minimum there's really no rhyme or reason to the nest. They're just kind of spread out everywhere. I find them under or inside rotting logs (usually very dry ones), under bark, in hollow twigs, and under rocks. I've seen floricola nesting in a hollow Sea Grape stick about 7 feet up.

 

As for Solenopsis molesta, I don't have any photos of a nest of the species, but I do have nest photos of related species, which I'll put below (I'll also put the species' names as well).

 

Solenopsis pergandei (FL)

 

Solenopsis molesta-group sp. (SC)

 

Solenopsis molesta-group sp. (VA)

[Ferox_Formicae]

I have seen thief ants make small mounds. They actually look quite similar to founding chambers. If it is not especially warm, I have even seen workers foraging above-ground. I am not sure this applies to Eastern species, as the common species in SoCal is not really identified properly.

In the east, workers do occasionally forage aboveground, and one species in the S. fugax-group, S. pergandei, does form mounds just before nuptial flights.

[UtahAnts]

All the monomorium nests I have seen have large brood chambers for pupae, eggs, and larvae, with small tunnels connecting and multiple nest entrances.

[ANTdrew]

I’m fairly certain there is a Monomorium nest cast in Tschinkel’s paper on nest structure.
Here is a drawing as well: https://www.antwiki....inimum_nest.jpg

Edited by ANTdrew, January 15 2021 - 12:57 PM.

[Syber_ant]

Any particular species of Monomorium? I don't have any images of Monomorium nests that I know of, but I do know that anytime I've ever found M. minimum there's really no rhyme or reason to the nest. They're just kind of spread out everywhere. I find them under or inside rotting logs (usually very dry ones), under bark, in hollow twigs, and under rocks. I've seen floricola nesting in a hollow Sea Grape stick about 7 feet up.

 

As for Solenopsis molesta, I don't have any photos of a nest of the species, but I do have nest photos of related species, which I'll put below (I'll also put the species' names as well).

 

Solenopsis pergandei (FL)

 

Solenopsis molesta-group sp. (SC)

 

Solenopsis molesta-group sp. (VA)

that's Pog

[Antkeeper014]

Most monomorium will make extremely small mounds, similar in shape to what you would see with lasius, albeit on a far smaller, flatter scale.

 

Now I only have inner nest composition experience with M. viridium, but I'll share nonetheless. 0.5-2 inches directly below the mound(s) will be a very large chamber containing all the pupae and final install larvae, occasionally with larger colonies you may see a queen or two in this shallow chamber, but it's rather uncommon. A little bit further below (1-4 inches) there will be a series of small, interconnected chambers containing all the queens and younger brood stages. Colonies of monomorium make extremely shallow nests, often less than 6 inches.

Solenopsis species up here will remain completely subterranean unless a colony reaches a very large size, in which case they may excavate tiny mounds, roughly the diameter and height of 2 dimes stacked on top of each other. Their nest structures are almost identical to that of monomorium, very shallow and compact.